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Council Member Sanchez's inquiries on HPD's reimbursement practices
0:58:22
ยท
101 sec
Council Member Sanchez follows up on HPD's practices for seeking reimbursement from landlords for relocation services provided to displaced tenants. HPD's representative, AnnMarie Santiago, explains the circumstances under which they issue vacate orders and seek reimbursement.
- HPD clarifies they don't determine the cause of fires or associated negligence.
- The agency does issue vacate orders and seek reimbursement for non-fire related issues like lack of utilities or building deterioration.
- Sanchez requests specific numbers on how often HPD has sought to recoup expenses from negligent owners, which HPD agrees to provide later.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
0:58:22
Thank you.
0:58:22
Thank you council member Riley.
0:58:24
I just wanna follow-up on council member Riley's question.
0:58:27
So yes, you know state laws and you don't want to comment on the resolution but you can comment on your existing practices right.
0:58:35
We have here from HPD's own website.
0:58:38
HPD is authorized to seek reimbursement for relocation services provided to displaced tenants when the underlying conditions necessitating the relocation were caused by negligent or intentional acts of the building owners.
0:58:49
So who determines those negligent or intentional acts if they were negligent or intentional?
AnnMarie Santiago
0:58:56
And again, you know it would have to be a determination.
0:58:59
I'm not sure if it's a fire department investigation, if it's a police department investigation.
0:59:04
HPD is not, you know, we don't make a determination on the cause of fire.
0:59:10
That's not part of our agency's.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
0:59:12
So how often if ever, it sounds like maybe never, but how often does HPD seek reimbursement or has HPD sought reimbursement for relocation services?
AnnMarie Santiago
0:59:22
We do in terms of when for example HPD issues a habitability vacate.
0:59:27
A vacate around not fire again because we don't determine the cause of a fire.
0:59:32
But if the cause of the vacate is you know the owner is not providing electric, the owner has not provided heat, the owner is not providing water, the owner has allowed the condition of the building to be such that you know the walls are crumbling.
0:59:49
We do issue a small number relative to other vacates, but we do issue vacates on that issue regularly and we do issue vacates for illegal occupancy which is also something that we determine.
1:00:03
Thank